How I Almost Missed the Greatest Comeback in Hockey History

So there I was last night, sitting on the couch angry and petulant as my beloved Boston Bruins had just given up a terrible 2-on-1 goal to Toronto to fall behind the Maple Leafs 4-1 with 14-and-a-half minutes left to play in the 3rd period of a decisive Game 7 in their opening round series.  I was ready to give up on the game (no team has ever come back from a 3-goal deficit in the 3rd period of a Game 7 to win)--and told my wife that she could turn the TV to whatever she wanted, because I was going to finish my "Lucky 3rd Period Rally Beer", take a shower and go to bed.

But for some reason, she kept the game on while I posted angry tweets about how lazy Milan Lucic is, what a puck hog Jaromir Jagr is, and how Head Coach Claude Julien needs to be fired if he can't get a team ready to play in a Game 7 on home ice.  Andt then Nathan Horton scored a goal for the B's with about 10-minutes to play to make it 4-2.  My first thought was that Boston would either give up another stupid goal to put the game out of reach again--or they would get a useless goal with about 10-seconds left to lose by one instead of two.  But my wife talked me into staying a little bit longer--pointing out how the B's were dominating the play.

After a few more chances to pull closer were denied by missed shots or great saves by the Leafs' goalie, my faith waned again--and as the Bruins pulled their goalie with a minute and a half left for the extra attacker, I could not imagine them still getting two goals to tie the game.  But then Zdeno Chara scored on a redirect with a 1:22 left to play--and all of a sudden its a one-goal game and Boston Garden (or at least the fans who didn't leave at 4-1) was rocking.

And then less than 30 second later the Bruins score AGAIN--with Patrice Bergeron getting another goal and suddenly the GAME IS TIED--and I am a crazy man in the living room--jumping around, screaming and pounding the floor.  Then the Bruins just miss getting ANOTHER GOAL with 8-seconds left as the puck jumped over the stick of Rich Peverly right in front of an open goal--and the regulation ends in a tie. 

As I took a hurried shower during the intermission, this feeling of dread came over me.  "They've lured me back in with the miracle rally--but now they will break my heart by losing it on a soft goal in overtime."  I reluctantly cracked open a "Lucky Overtime Beer" and settled in for the crushing defeat.  And there were some scary moments--but a rebound put-back by Bergeron again five minutes into OT made everything right with the world again.

And to think, I would have missed this little slice of unadulterated joy if my wife hadn't convinced me to keep the faith.  Thanks, Michele!!